Born Again...

Hello, true believers.  I have climbed out of my pine box, broken through the topsoil, and clawed my way back to return to the blogosphere, a man with a mission.

Please excuse my 2 year absence, I've been busy running a minis company called Mad Robot Miniatures.  If you haven't checked it out...you should. 

With the new 40K IG codex releasing...and failing...I have rekindled the hobby flames and have started, in earnest, to jump back in with both feet.  I will be getting back to where I left off, doing conversions and one-offs and such.

Just spent a lovely evening putting together one of the new DaNamian Jungle Fighters kits by Mad Robot.  These will be releasing in about 3 weeks or so.

A small way of jumping back in but, worry not, I have 2 boxes of Scions and a Tauros that are just begging to be ripped apart and improved upon.

I hope you'll come back next time and rejoin me on this journey.


The war goes on,
Hessler

Merc Update 6/18

Right, so I've sorted out a new camera, which gives me a chance to show of my latest purchase...

They're the British Commandos from Warlord Games.  I'd seen these figures when they released and I instantly thought "old school Stormtroopers".  After taking a closer look at these, I think I may have found a new source for bits and upgrades!  Fitst off, the size matched up quite nicely with 40k, more with ForgeWorld than the Cadian plastics.  Here's a compasrison:

I also was happy that some FW Elysian bits I have, went on great with the body.

The glorious discovery of this kit is the options it offers to hobbyists.  All the heads are separate from the berets, but there are also camo'd Para helmets and a more standard "Dougboy" helmet.  With all the sprues that come in one box you'd have enough helmets/berets for multiple squads.

Also included on each sprue are loads of kit...especially these awesome backpacks!

The weapons that are included don't match up well at all, I wasn't that surprised given the well known proportional differences of various 28mm companies.

So, I think I've found a good source of alternative figures to start my Merc Force.  I may try my hand at some additional green-stuff sculpting to Sci-Fi them up a bit.

I hope to have some faster updates as these start to come together.  I am still toying with using Elysian heads on these...I'll save those thoughts for my next update.


The war goes on,
Hessler

Elysian HQ part 2

I've moved on to my 2nd paint scheme, meant to fall somewhere between Star Wars and Mass Effect.  Starting from the White base, I took Citadel Fortress Grey and diluted heavily with Vallejo Glaze Medium.  I gave the figure a good once over and after drying, it served well to shadow the white without darkening in too much.

Armor was based with Citadel Solaris Orange and followed up with a watered down coat of Foundry Orange(B).  The Visor was given watered down layers of Foundry Vivid Blue(A) and Sky Blue(B).  Boots and belts got a few watery coats of Citadel Chardon Granite and a wash of Badab Black.

Next, hoses and a few details were painted with Citadel Boltgun Metal and given a wash of Badab Black.

All in all, I'm happy how this turned out.  It was an idea I've had brewing in my head for a while and I think it translated well into reality.  There are some more opportunities for some washing or shading but I think it stands as completed for now.

I've also been considering a grav sled of some kind, something that gives a quick drop ability on the battlefield, similar to the way that US Navy SEAL use their small boats.  I'm thinking I will borrow from the design and concept in the Star Wars universe.  In particular, the skiff that is seen circling around Jabba the Hut's Barge in Return Of The Jedi.

Any thoughts on this direction?

The war goes on,
Hessler

Drop Troops HQ

Switching gears from DKoK, I got caught up in my Elysian minis and went with them over the weekend.  I've decided to use these as the base of a small, mobile mercenary company that will utilize grav vehicles and involve some scratch building.

So, I've decided to start some test color schemes on my Elysian HQ to see which fits in best to my theme.  I started by prepping the main figures and priming them, followed by a basic flesh coat of Reaper Tanned Flesh:

Using a Cadian torso, I was able to squeeze a 6th figure into the mix and I began blocking in the colors of my first test scheme:

Anticipating some washes, I went with a Vallejo Pale Sand on the uniform and Vallejo Military Green on the armor.  My "go to" paint for boots and belts is usually Wargames Foundry Deep Leather and that's what I went with here.

I applied a wash of Citadel Black to the boots and armor and, wanting something warmer than straight brown, washed the uniform with Citadel Sepia. I also blocked in the visor with Citadel Foundation Orange.

Overall, I'm rather pleased with the way it's looking.  A bit generic perhaps but it stands as one of my color possibilities, nevertheless.

On to the next and I think I'll start working on a design for a grav skimmer/APC.  As always, comments and criticisms are welcomed.

The war goes on,

Hessler

Heli Sentinel Progress (1)

I progressed about 95% on my Heli Sentinel Squadron leader:

As with most painting, this 1st model took a little longer due to some re-working on the paint colors.  Sometimes you just can't see how colors will work together until you get some paint down.  Vehicle numbers will be in single digits.  These crazy SOB's are very much a voluntary unit with heavy turnover due to the experimental "heli" technology.

Please leave comments and criticisms, both are welcomed.

The war goes on,

Hessler

Mech Rough Riders Complete

Please excuse my over indulgence with the photos but I couldn't help myself.  I will probably make another 3-5 of these but that will be further down the road.  I must admit that these bike tested my patience while painting them.  I will consider assembling & painting them in sub-assemblies next time so I can get to some parts easier.

Thanks for looking and feel free to leave comments & criticisms.

Next up on the painting block...Heli Sentinels

The war goes on,

Hessler

Ragnarok Finished

I finished the Ragnarok today.  Paint color is Vallejo US Green, which is similar to Catachan Green.  I did some sponging with boltgun metal, I might try something darker next time, like a rust-brown.  I applied Tamiya weathering powder (soot) over the entire hull and then came back over with a dry brush of the green to blend it in.  I didn't find much room for stowage on this tank but I at least found space to hang a rolled up tarp.  The camo netting on the gun is made by Verlinden, it comes in a huge sheet and is pre-stained.  I applied it the same way most do, with some watered down white glue.  Here the pics...

I might still do some more detailing on the battle damage on both sides to make it stand out more.  Here's pick with the armor skirts removed, I'm partial to this look, I think...

That's it for now.  Up next are my mechanized rough riders.  C&C is always appreciated.

The war goes on,

Hessler

War Walker Finished

Basing is complete my war walker, which means it is finished.  Pics...

The barbed wire shown in my previous post worked out great.  I base coated it with Boltgun Metal and then applied a wash of Badab Black and then a very thinned layer of Macharius Solar Orange for a rust effect.  The wire itself hold its shape but it is still a little "bouncy" to the touch.

Thanks for looking, C&C is appreciated.  Next up on the painting table is my Ragnarok.

The war goes on,

Hessler

War Walker (3)

I visited my FLGS and picked up some supplies today, including this...

Almost 30 feet of barbed wire and posts!  For only $9, that's an awesome deal.  I'll be using this on the base of the war walker and I'll have plenty left over for tons of other projects.

The posts are more along the 1/35 scale so I had to trim off the top 1/3 of the posts.

The wire itself is very easy to work with and it bends and hold shape wonderfully.  That's all for now, more updates coming soon.

The war goes on,
Hessler

War Walker Painting (2)

I was finally able to put some camo on the war machine.  I stuck with the colors I used on previous tank but added in some brown for more interest.  On such a large model, everything has to be that much bigger to keep it looking good.  Anyways, here's a few snaps...

I tried to marry the colors better by using my airbrush to apply a wash of Badab Black.  The result was a little dark but I'm looking for a gritty, well-used look so it's not all that bad.  At this point I will give it a coat of gloss varnish and proceed with paint chipping and weathering.  I'm thinking the base will lend itself to something cool...possibly something involving water effects.

As for the Ragnarok, I will be applying a totally different color scheme to it and to the Panzer Russes.  I have decided that I want my tank squads to represent different looks so the Ragnaroks will get some Catachan green and heavy weathering.

That's all for now, C&C is always welcome.

The war goes on,

Hessler

War Walker Painting (1)

I finally found time to unpack my airbrush and compressor this afternoon.  I was able to throw a solid base coat of Vallejo German Grey (Air Color) on both the walker and my Ragnarok.  I will be taking a similar approach to the camo style as I did my last tanks, shown HERE.  No pics today, just a quick update to keep readers "in the know".

I have also decided to re-classify my "monster" as a war machine, as opposed to a Titan Knight.  I have been trying to read up on the fluff and background of the Knight Households and it just doesn't fit in with the theme of my army.  I will still apply the rules found in the BOLS "Lords of Battle", but I will be calling it a War Walker and treat it more like a precious gift from the Tech Priests of Mars.

Thanks for reading...more updates and pics are on their way.

The war goes on,

Hessler

Finalizing The Loose Ends

Well, after finishing the build and priming of a 5-man Rough Rider squad, I am finally caught up on all my unfinished builds. That means one thing...paint time. I will go back and work on the vehicles first, followed up by infantry.

The first painting project will be a big one...

I pulled my Titan-Knight out of the display case and it needs some touch up work (some rivets, some filing, etc.). Please pardon the dust, as well. I'll make good use of the airbrush for this monster and I will be adding banners to the undersides of the arms. I will be researching color schemes this afternoon and hopefully get some paint block out by tomorrow.

If anyone has suggestions for colors for the households, please let me know. To check how this build progressed, check the sidebar to the left under Started Projects.


1 Year Gone By...

I would like to thank everyone who subscribes and /or reads this blog. I have been at it for a year now and my love for this hobby has only increased. I set out to make this a place for people to get ideas and be inspired. Hopefully I have been able to spark someone's imagination to try something new or different. Rest assured you have inspired me. Thanks to everyone!

The war goes on,
Col. Hessler

Ragnarok & Rough Riders

I refined my design on the armor skirts for the Ragnarok and I'm pleased with how they came out...

And, in case I get tired of the battle damage look, they are magnetized...

I have completed 3 of my mechanized rough riders. As I indicated in a previous post, the hunting lance is represented here by a high-powered spear gun. A fellow blogger suggested this idea and I forgot who...so thanks, whoever you are.

This is my biker version of Mogul Kahn...

Received two more riders today in the mail so they will be armed with meltas and my squad will be complete.

Has anyone ever fielded a full 10-rider squad of these? How do they fare on the battlefield?

C & C is always appreciated.

The war goes on,
Col. Hessler

Unfinished Projects...There Is Hope

Sitting down to finish projects can really be a challenge for me. Fortunately, I have found the strength to attack it with full force and I made some good progress.

Here are some pics of my "Copperhead Valkyrie". The canopy will be added after everything is fully painted. Also the top of the body is removable so I will be able to paint inside.

One of the things I notice right away as I post these pictures is that the rivets on the lift jets look too big. There is one size smaller on my rivet press that I started using and if I make another of these, I will use the smaller rivets. Also, I have a tool that allows you to make "dimples" in your surfaces, very similar to the GW rivets on the original wing surface. Here's a pic and an example of what it does. I used .20mm plasticard for this example.


Next are two "Tiger Russ" tanks from my armored column. These were based on the Tamiya 1/48th Tiger I kit and turned out really sharp. Again, riveted and 40k'd up as much as I dare and primed and ready for the paint booth.

Finally, I will put up another pics of my hobby assistants. They are very quiet and have a great disposition. I never would have thought a pet could so perfectly mimic my own personality...but they have succeeded.

Well, that's it for now. Up next on my hobby "to do" list is completing 2 of my Ragnarok Tanks and after that, it's time to tackle my mechanized rough riders.

The war goes on,
Hessler